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Congress has named Jay Narayan Patnaik as its Lok Sabha candidate from Puri in Odisha on Saturday after Sucharita Mohanty returned her ticket, citing alleged denial of funding by the party. «The Congress President (Mallikarjun Kharge) has approved the candidature of Shri Jay Narayan Patnaik (In place of Smt. Sucharita Mohanty) as the party candidate for the ensuing general elections to the Lok Sabha from 17 — Puri Parliamentary Constituency of Odisha,» the Congress said in a statement. Patnaik has been associated with the Congress for the past few years, he will make his electoral debut in this election. The last date for filing nominations in Puri is May 6.

Congress President Malikarjun Kharge extended condolences over the death of personnel of the Indian Air Force in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. In a post on X, Kharge wrote, «Deeply pained by the cowardly terror attack on the IAF vehicle in Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir. We strongly and unequivocally condemn this dastardly terror attack and join the nation in standing together against terrorism.» «Our deepest condolences to the family of the brave air warrior who made the supreme sacrifice. We hope that the injured air warriors recover at the earliest and earnestly pray for their well-being. India is united for our soldiers,» he added.

Rajgarh constituency in Madhya Pradesh, which is being touted as a hot seat this Lok Sabha elections with Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh contesting against two-time BJP MP Rodmal Nagar, is all set to vote on May 7, in the third phase of the ensuing general polls. So far in the general elections, Congress won 9 elections from this seat, the Jansangh-BJP 6 times, the Janta Party twice and an independent candidate also won the seat only once. This time, Congress has pitted Digvijaya Singh against two-time BJP's Rodmal Nagar, who has been winning the elections since 2014.

Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj took a swipe at the ruling party, accusing it of «breaking opposition parties». The AAP leader, while speaking to the reporters here, also came down heavily on Lovely and said that the latter's entry into the BJP was already anticipated since he stepped down as the Delhi Congress president in protest against the party's alliance with INDIA bloc partner AAP. «The day he resigned from Congress, almost everybody got to know that he would be joining the BJP. This is the politics of BJP, they break other parties but even after doing all these things, INDIA alliance is going to win all the 7 seats in Delhi,» Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

INDIA alliance as they have realised the glitz and glamour of the BJP is a facade, AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said on Saturday. Speaking in a rally in Davangere in Karnataka a day before campaigning ends in the state, the leader hit out at the Narendra Modi-led government, saying it was busy in corruption by making schemes. “He [Prime Minister Narendra Modi] talks very well about sabka saath, sabka vikas (everyone’s support, everyone’s progress), but does nothing for the poor. Meanwhile, the people of the country are suffering from unemployment, inflation and economic crisis,” she said. Accusing the PM of crony capitalism, she said he spoke of welfare but was never seen with the poor in villages. “All his rallies are with his rich businessmen friends. No wonder our country’s railways, aviation, ports and shipping are now in the hands of one man,” she added.

Uttar Pradesh on Saturday to campaign for the BJP's candidates for the Kanpur and Akbarpur Lok Sabha seats. A large crowd cheered for the prime minister and waved cutouts of the BJP's election symbol 'lotus' as he greeted them from his car. Modi also visited the Gumati Gurdwara before starting his roadshow. Small children, women and elders lined the streets as the prime minister's motorcade passed through. The crowd shouted slogans and showered flower petals. The prime minister was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the BJP's Kanpur candidate Ramesh Awasthi and Akbarpur candidate Devendra Singh atop the open-hooded vehicle.

Rahul Gandhi who was born with a «silver spoon», Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday. Addressing a campaign rally in Daman city in the Union Territory of Daman and Diu, Shah alleged the INDIA bloc robbed the quota meant for Dalits, tribals and backward classes and gave it to Muslims, whereas the BJP has always preserved and strengthened the reservation meant for SCs, STs and OBCs. He campaigned for BJP candidates for Daman and Diu as well as Dadra and Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha seats, which fall under the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. «In this election, you have two options. On the one side, you have Rahul Gandhi who was born with a silver spoon. On the other side, you have Modiji who was born to a family of a poor 'chaiwala',» said Shah.

Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday claimed that the Congress government in Karnataka did not take action against JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, accused of sexually abusing women, for about a year despite being aware of the matter. The Congress was afraid that it might lose Vokkaliga votes and therefore stayed silent until the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections got over, she said, speaking at a meeting with select journalists here. «The Union home minister (Amit Shah) has made it very clear that we will not tolerate the matters that go against women and on that we stand united. Though the (BJP's) alliance partner has this issue, we have made it clear that it was not acceptable, and let it be investigated,» Sitharaman said, when asked if the scandal will have an impact on her party's performance in Karnataka in the ongoing elections. It was being claimed that a driver gave a pen drive (allegedly containing evidence of Revanna's acts) to the Congress party and state home minister but they were sitting on this evidence for about a year, and «now the BJP is made to answer because the JD(S) is in alliance with us,» she said.

Arvind Kejriwal who is in judicial custody and his wife Sunita Kejriwal. AAP's star campaigners' list also included the names of jailed AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, as well as Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Sunita Kejriwal has already taken reins of party's campaigning for the polls, attending roadshows in support of party's Lok Sabha candidates in Delhi and Gujarat. Recently she attended roadshows along with AAP candidates in East Delhi, West Delhi and Bharuch and Bhavnagar constituencies in Gujarat. She is scheduled to attend a roadshow in support of AAP candidate from South Delhi seat Sahi Ram Pehalwan on Sunday, party leaders said.

Kolkata, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh, who was removed as the party's state general secretary, met Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Saturday, in signs of rapprochement. Ghosh, accompanied by state Education Minister Bratya Basu, went to O'Brien's office in Ballygunge in the afternoon. The meeting lasted for around one and a half hours. The TMC had on Wednesday removed him as the state general secretary and star campaigner after he shared the stage with BJP's Kolkata Uttar candidate Tapas Ray. The statement announcing the party's action was issued by O'Brien, the TMC's leader in Rajya Sabha. Following the meeting, Basu said, «Discussions were held to strengthen the organisation and fight the BJP unitedly. There is no bad blood.»

BJP leader Anurag Thakur would file his nomination from Hamirpur constituency on May 13 for the last phase of Lok Sabha elections, BJP state Chief Rajiv Bindal on Saturday. Addressing the media in Shimla, Bindal said that actor Kangana Ranaut would file her nomination on May 14 from the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency and former BJP state president Suresh Kashyap would submit his papers from Shimla constituency on May 13. The BJP Lok Sabha candidate from the Kangra seat Rajeev Bhardwaj would file his nomination on May 10. BJP candidate Sudhir Sharma, who was disqualified from Congress for defying the party whip, will also be filing his nomination from Dharamshala on May 14 for the by-elections while Ravi Thakur will submit his papers from Lahaul and Spiti assembly seat on May 9. The date for the filing of the nomination of Chetanya Sharma for Gagret is yet to be finalised, he added. The six Congress MLAs Rajinder Rana (Sujanpur), Sudhir Sharma (Dharamshala), Ravi Thakur (Lahaul and Spiti), Inder Dutt Lakhanpal (Barsar), Chetanya Sharma (Gagret) and Devinder Kumar Bhutto (Kutlehar) were disqualified for defying a party whip to be present in Vidhan Sabha and vote in favour of the government during the cut motions and budget.

Congress candidate Deepender Singh Hooda and BJP nominee Ashok Tanwar on Saturday filed their nomination papers from the Rohtak and Sirsa seats respectively for the Lok Sabha elections. Polling for 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will take place on May 25. Hooda was accompanied by his father and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan and party MLA BB Batra while filing the nomination papers at Rohtak. The Congress has fielded Hooda, a Rajya Sabha MP, from the Rohtak parliamentary constituency, which is currently represented by Bharatiya Janata Party's Arvind Sharma. He had unsuccessfully contested from the Rohtak seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Congress's Lok Sabha poll candidate from Kangra Anand Sharma on Saturday highlighted his 52-year career in public service and asserted his deep-rooted connection with Himachal Pradesh, besides talking about his efforts for the development of Kangra and Chamba districts. Hitting out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre, the former Union minister alleged that it has «cheated» the country's youngsters for the last 10 years. Addressing reporters here, Sharma said, «I have an unblemished career of 52 years in public life and have come here to serve the people of Kangra and Chamba. »Throughout my tenure in various (Union) ministries, I have focused on the development of Himachal Pradesh, particularly Kangra and Chamba. My consistent participation in major party rallies here and my work with the Youth Congress across all blocks of Kangra and Chamba exemplify my dedication."

Delhi Congress, Arvinder Singh Lovely on Saturday joined Bhartiya Janata Party in the presence of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. «We have been given an opportunity to fight for the people of Delhi under the banner of BJP and under the leadership of Prime Minister… I have full hope and there is no doubt about it that the BJP government is being formed in the country with an overwhelming majority. In the coming days, the flag of the BJP will fly in Delhi too...» said Arvinder Singh Lovely after joining BJP. Along with Lovely, former DUSU President Amit Malik, Rajkumar Chauhan, Neeraj Basoya and Naseeb Singh, joined the BJP at party headquarters in New Delhi.

BSP on Saturday fielded its Punjab unit chief Jasvir Singh Garhi as its candidate from the Anandpur Sahib parliamentary constituency. The announcement in this regard was made by BSP's in-charge of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Randhir Singh Beniwal. With this, the BSP has now announced its candidates for all the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, said Beniwal. The Anandpur Sahib seat is currently represented by Congress MP Manish Tewari, who has now been fielded from the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat.

election will bring in change and their industry will get a much-needed revival. The once ubiquitous vendors selling bangles on carts have slowly faded away over the years and today you can see but a few, a visible sign of a once vibrant industry in decline. It has long been a symbol of local craft but now battles modern challenges, say artisans, factory owners and shopkeepers. The immense competition from plastic and metal bangles has eaten into their market share, resulting in a noticeable decline in sales of the traditional glass variety. «The demand for our handmade glass bangles is diminishing. The younger generation is not interested in learning our traditional art, and cheap plastic bangles are flooding the market. Also, not many women wear glass bangles now,» said Ram Lal, an artisan at Natraj Lakshmi Bangles.

Santrupt Misra, the former HR head of Aditya Birla Group and current BJD candidate from Cuttack, has declared assets valued at approximately Rs 461 crore, making him the richest candidate in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in Odisha, according to a report by the Times of India (TOI). Misra, 58, joined the BJD in February after opting for voluntary retirement from the Aditya Birla Group. His income tax returns showed earnings of Rs 76.23 crore in 2021-22 and Rs 66.21 crore in 2022-23, as per the TOI report. His affidavit submitted during the nomination filing revealed movable assets worth Rs 408 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 53 crore, including Rs 4 crore in bank deposits. According to TOI, the total current value of Misra's investments in mutual funds, alternate investment funds, bonds, and shares is around Rs 308 crore. He also owns a fleet of luxury cars valued at over Rs 2.3 crore. Additionally, the report states that his wife's movable assets are valued at Rs 11.72 crore. Despite not owning any immovable property in Odisha, Misra possesses agricultural land in Raigad district of Maharashtra, and one flat each in Hyderabad and Mumbai.

Prajwal Revanna's alleged sex-tape scandal will not impact the BJP's alliance with JDS, former CM Basavaraj Bommai declared on Friday. “We are for inquiry. But he has been able to flee the country because of the Congress government’s insistence on delaying action for the Vokkaliga votes in the earlier phase of elections” he told ET. The scandal broke last week when pen drives of obscene videos allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna – former PM HD Deve Gowda’s grandson and the NDA candidate from Hassan – were distributed all over his constituency, days before the Lok Sabha election took place there. He has since fled the country. Karnataka government’s Special Investigative Team (SIT) issued a look out notice for him on Thursday. The government, Bommai added, could have put out a red alert notice against him after he absconded, or even applied for revoking his passport. “It has not taken any of these steps yet, which is very telling,” he said.

petrol bomb attacks on vehicles in several parts of Shillong over the past few days, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Friday that the state government will ensure that such incidents will not recur. The CM also assured the people that the situation in the state capital would be under control very soon. «We are working towards ensuring that such incidents won't be repeated. Police have taken steps. To make arrests on such incidents, we need proper evidence. As soon as we get the evidence, action will be taken,» the CM said.

Banaskantha, the district bordering Pakistan, the contest is clearly bipolar with multilayered manifestations. Traditionally a Congress bastion, Banaskantha was engulfed by the Modi wave in the 2013 Lok Sabha by-election and continues to remain with the party. BJP has fielded Rekha Chaudhary, granddaughter of Banas Dairy founder Galba Chaudhary. A mathematics professor herself, Rekha's husband Hitesh Chaudhary has been associated with BJP for some time and known to be close to Gujarat Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary. Of the seven assembly segments that form Banaskantha Lok Sabha constituency, the Thakor community constitute the highest number of 3.7 lakh followed by the Chaudhary community with 2.5 lakh population.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has decided to contest from Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli after «sensing defeat» in Wayanad. He also said that Congress' tally will not cross 50 and would be at an «all time low». «I have already said that Shehzada will get defeated in Wayanad. After completion of votes in Kerala, he is now contesting in Raebareli. Their senior leader (Sonia Gandhi) quit her Lok Sabha seat and entered Parliament through the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. They say 'daro mat' but I am saying 'arre daro mat, bhaggo mat' (Don't be scared, don't run away),» Modi said during his public rallies. «The Congress, with less than 50 seats, and the Trinamool with 15 seats in Bengal, will not be able to form a government at the Centre,» he said, adding, «The Congress will get less seats than before, they are contesting in lesser seats,» Modi said. The PM held three rallies in West Bengal — at Krishnanagar, Bardhaman and Bolpur — on Friday.